


succumbing

by chaoticbora



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: College AU, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Slight Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27733519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticbora/pseuds/chaoticbora
Summary: “Won’t you ask what I was doing here, how did I know or why did I decide to help again?” Bora asked, her attention between the traffic and the other girl.“Luck, I suppose,” Minji replied dryly.
Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Minji | JiU
Comments: 10
Kudos: 108





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i’m sure at this point everyone can see that i’m very attached to jibo. i really love their dynamic and when the idea came up, i just decided to write this short two-shot. so, i hope you enjoy it!
> 
> ps: very slight violence indeed.

“What’s our first class again?”

Yoohyeon’s voice echoed through Bora’s mind from what seemed like miles away. Not just Yoohyeon’s though, but of all the people around her. With her eyes fixed on the college’s main entrance door, she followed every step of that one specific blonde girl.

Many people moved here and there, but Bora always watched that same girl. She was wearing a leather jacket, jeans and fake glasses, and the closer she got, the more Bora’s thoughts seemed to be elsewhere but here, listening to her friend’s words.

“What’s our first class  _ again_?” This time it was Gahyeon who spoke, hitting Bora’s arm lightly.

She seemed to come out of her trance slowly.

“Oh, mhm... Spanish, I think?” 

But her eyes were still following the other girl until she stopped at her locker.

“Why are you looking at her like this, you weirdo?” There was judgment in Gahyeon’s words.

“What?” Bora sounded confused at first, but Gahyeon only rolled her eyes in disapproval. “Okay, fine. I just wanted to understand why she hates me so much.”

Her eyes were analyzing from a certain distance. Now, Bora noticed, it was easier to see the faint shade of pink in the girl’s hair, which wasn’t as long as it had been the week before.

“Well, people say it’s about your boyfriend,” Yoohyeon commented.

Bora finally turned her head to face her friends.

“And what do I have to do with what happened between them in the past?” She paused. “I mean, I don’t even know what happened between them.”

The second she finished her sentence, the blonde girl walked down the hall, passing by Bora and staring at her as if she could set fire with just one gaze. In truth, it was exactly how Bora felt about her, as if the slightest contact could burn.

“Whatever,” Gahyeon said in an unbothered voice, “why did you want her to like you anyway?”

“I don’t know,” Bora let it escape genuinely from her mouth, “she just seems cool.”

—

Bora liked what she was seeing in that dirty bathroom mirror at the bar she would usually go to on Wednesday nights. One last adjustment to her lipstick and a pout after spreading the shade of red that stood out on her lips.

The plan was to gather the entire group of friends that night, but Gahyeon had plans with this girl who, in her words, she was getting to know better, and Handong refused the invitation using the excuse she needed to sleep early as she had an important exam the next morning.

Bora’s routine had been the same for a while. College, which her parents paid for, bars and restaurants with her friends, and sometimes in her spare time, dates with her boyfriend. 

They weren’t the most clingy couple in the world, but it was a healthy and good relationship to keep. They were childhood friends and could understand each other better than most people ever would. She was comfortable with that life.

When Bora returned to the table she shared with Yoohyeon, the taller girl was waiting impatiently. 

“My dad called and said Pie isn’t feeling good, I should go home.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry,” Bora said, holding the other girl’s hand gently and she had a sweet tone in her voice. “I hope she feels better soon.”

The bar had two doors. The girls said their goodbyes and Yoohyeon left through the right door, while Bora looked for the way through the other side that was closest to the building she lived in.

The darkness outside the establishment often gave Bora goosebumps. The streetlights did not have enough light to brighten the entire street. And not to mention the stench caused by the rest of the food the employees of the restaurants dumped there.

But even below that starless sky, Bora was able to see a silhouette leaning against the alley wall.

Part of her knew she should go back and take the longest - and safest - route, as any normal person would do, but something there incredibly didn’t scare her, it was the opposite, almost calling her name.

So she kept walking, and when she approached, she could see more clearly who that person was.

The blonde girl, with her nose bleeding and a cut on her eyebrow.

“Oh my God! What happened to you?” Bora asked, placing one of her arms on the girl’s curved back.

“None of your business,” the girl said, hugging her own stomach. Her voice was so weak that Bora could barely hear it.

“Okay bad girl, I just wanna help. You don’t have to attack me.”

“I don’t need your help,” she replied sharply.

Bora could just leave her there, it was what she deserved after all. But Bora was nothing like that, and for some strange reason, she felt enormous empathy for that girl.

“You clearly do.” Bora gently lifted the taller girl’s chin to analyze her injuries, causing the latter, with an abrupt movement, to escape the touch. “Come on, I don’t even know why you treat me like this. Just let me help. I’m sure your parents wouldn’t like to see you coming home all beaten up.” 

Bora thought that would be a good way to convince her. Nobody would want their parents involved in their personal problems, especially if the problem involved a bruised face and probably injured ribs.

“Oh and yours would?” She laughed sarcastically, looking at Bora’s face for the first time.

By those dilated pupils of her, Bora could tell that girl hated relying on anyone else. And it made Bora feel the urge to help her even more. Challenges were amusing to the smaller girl.

“I bet you know I live alone,” she replied.

The silence in the dark alley was terrifying, making it possible to hear the sound of bats flying overhead. Bora always disliked the emptiness, and it reminded her of the reason she didn’t usually go there alone.

“What are you doing?” The girl complained.

Bora was putting the girl’s arm around her neck, helping her to get up.

“You’re going with me.” Bora had soft eyes. “Unfortunately for you, I’m just as stubborn as you are.”

Realizing that there was no escape from it - and she wouldn’t have the strength to do it anyway - the girl didn’t say anything, she just leaned on Bora’s shoulders and walked silently to her apartment.

Bora bandaged the little bruises of the blonde haired girl, some bruises seemed more serious than others. Before placing her on the couch, Bora asked if it would be better if they went to a hospital, but in a firm and husky voice, the girl stated that it wasn’t necessary, she would recover soon.

An extremely awkward pause ensued.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened?” Bora asked as she wiped the dried blood off the other girl’s forehead with a damp cloth.

When she was just about to speak, the light on Bora’s phone caught both of the girls’ attention.

“ _sup babe, miss you. wanna sleep together today?_ ”

Changkyun.

Bora stared at her phone until the screen went out. She saw the other girl looking from the same screen, now going all black, to her face.

“Aren’t you going to answer your boyfriend?”

She knew Bora hadn’t thought about what to say to him, but she wanted a reaction. She wanted to know how Bora would act in that situation where she was evidently in the middle of two opposite sides.

Nothing. She began regretting being here.

“I better go-”

Without second thoughts, Bora unlocked her phone and started typing. The blonde girl watched from a distance the words that were forming.

“ _sorry babe, yoohyeon will be busy tomorrow so we’re having our girls’ night right now._ ”

“Yoohyeon?” She smirked. “I thought you knew my name’s Minji.”

It was the first time that Bora saw the girl smiling at her, even though it wasn’t precisely a smile. But Bora looked back with disdain as she noticed Minji was just trying to upset her.

She glanced away from the taller girl to take a look at her phone again.

“ _tomorrow then?_ ”

“ _sure. miss you, too._ ” 

Bora sent the last message before dropping the device beside her.

She took care of a last cut on the other girl’s left arm. It was a small one, but it should be taken care of in the same way. When Bora was done, she just nodded.

“Well, I think I owe you an explanation,” Minji said politely, “but can it be tomorrow? I’m really exhausted.”

“Sure. I’ll leave a towel in the bathroom, feel free to take a shower.” The girl nodded again. “There’s only one small detail,” Bora added.

“Yeah?”

“I only have one bed. I mean, there’s room for two if you don’t mind...”

“The couch is enough,” Minji replied and slowly got up, hugging her own rib and letting out a small groan of pain.

—

“Good morning,” Bora greeted her visitor when she saw the girl approaching the kitchen. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore.”

It was the only thing the blonde girl said.

Bora prepared her usual breakfast, bacon and toasted bread already filled the small space in the center of the counter. Orange juice was part of the menu that day, even though she was a coffee drinker, but she didn’t know for sure what the other girl liked.

“It’s very early, why are you awake?” Her voice echoed with deliberate calmness. “You should get some more rest, I don’t think it will make a big difference if you miss two classes,” Bora concluded.

“If only I don’t have an important test today...”

“So Handong didn’t lie.” Bora smiled.

“What?” Minji looked genuinely confused. “Anyway... I don’t wanna have to go home to change my clothes,” she started, “my mom doesn’t work today and if she sees my condition she’ll freak out, so... do you have any clothes that would fit me?”

Bora blinked twice, that was something she wasn’t expecting. And to be honest, that was the largest number of words the girl had spoken to her in the span of ten hours.

“If I’m not overusing your kindness, of course,” Minji added.

“No!” Bora said with excitement. “Not at all. Maybe an oversized T-shirt?” she asked, and Minji nodded. “Good. Now have some breakfast while I take a look for you.”

—

“Look who has a T-shirt just like yours,” Handong said, and the girl with blue hair was certainly not mistaken. She was with Bora the day the latter bought it.

Minji was by her locker, and all Bora could see was her hair in a ponytail and the piece of clothing the smaller girl lent her. She wondered if people would notice the small cut on her brow, and the bruises appearing here and there.

At the same instant, she saw her boyfriend approaching the group. Bora didn’t like the idea of lying to her friends nor to him, but she needed to keep the secret as she promised she would, at least until Minji solved the things that had happened the night before, and somehow Bora trusted her.

While they were having breakfast together minutes earlier, Minji fulfilled her promise to tell her what had happened before Bora found her in the alley, bleeding.

And just when she thought she couldn’t be more impressed by the blonde girl, Minji proved her wrong. It was a long story and they didn’t have much time, but it was just enough for Minji to tell Bora that aggressive people have been looking for her since she left the fighting club she was part of.

_ A fucking fighting club. _

As much as Bora knew that it had nothing to do with her, the concern took over her thoughts when Minji said she still wasn’t sure about how she would handle it. Bora offered help, but the other girl stubbornly refused. It was something she needed to work out on her own, she said.

_Do let me know if you need anything_ , were Bora’s last words before they headed out to college, separately.

“Hello babe,” Changkyun said, kissing Bora’s lips as he rested his hand on her waist.

She indeed missed him. Her boyfriend’s good sense of humor always improved the mood on any occasion. He was kind and funny in the right way, she was really grateful to have Changkyun for so long in her life.

But an uncomfortable smile covered her mouth the moment she saw Minji looking directly at them. 

Bora hadn’t done anything wrong, but it seemed absurdly weird to keep acting like she and the other girl hadn’t spent the night together.  _ Okay, it really does sound wrong when I put this way,  _ she thought.

—

Bora was in the library when she heard three people enter the place, talking in low voices as if they were hiding something important. One of the voices, she recognized, was Minji’s. She carefully pushed two books off the shelf so she could see who were the other two girls with her.

Yubin and Siyeon, as expected.

“I still can’t believe I left you alone for one night and you were beaten up around,” Yubin joked as they took their seats at a table.

“Very funny.” Minji had irony in her voice, but she still sounded friendly. “By the way, how was your night with the pink haired I’m-Rolling-My-Eyes girl?”

_ No fucking way, _ Bora screamed internally. That was a perfect and detailed description of Gahyeon.  _ And that little bastard didn’t even tell me who the girl was. _

“Hot. And that’s all I’m telling you,” Yubin concluded.

“And how was it for  you to sleep with the enemy?” Siyeon teased Minji, pinching the taller girl’s arm.

Bora’s heart raced. She didn’t understand why, perhaps because more people knew about their little secret while she herself hadn’t told her friends yet. The girls would kill her if they found out from someone else, and Yubin was the perfect trap at the moment since she was the girl Gahyeon was  _ getting to know better. _

Minji pushed Siyeon’s hand slowly as she rolled her eyes. “We have more important things to do now, Si-t head.”

Minji looked like a leader, she spoke and the girls listened. They didn’t seem uncomfortable, however, it was more about respect than anything else.

Bora left college late that day. Some projects were too long, and she knew if she was anywhere else, she wouldn’t be able to stay focused.

She noticed that Minji and the other two girls also spent a long time in the library, leaving just a few minutes before her.

As she drove through the city, the sun was almost completely set. She looked at the stores that filled the place, and suddenly, as if it was a magnet bringing her back every time, she saw Minji walking down the sidewalk.

She noticed the breeze subtly touching the girl’s bangs, and the way her T-shirt was clearly shorter on Minji than when she was wearing it. Minji was walking, it seemed, without a precise direction.

But right after that, when her eyes strayed to a tall guy right behind the blonde girl, tension went up Bora’s spine. She was being followed again.

Bora then moved the car slowly towards the girl, slowing down until stopping completely.

“Minji, get in the car,” Bora said abruptly.

“What the fu-”

“Just trust me,  _ please_.”

Bora sped up the car as soon as Minji got in, but looking through the outside mirror, she was sure she wasn’t wrong. The guy who stayed behind looked frustrated and angry.

“Won’t you ask what I was doing here, how did I know or why did I decide to help again?” Bora asked, her attention between the traffic and the other girl.

“Luck, I suppose,” Minji replied dryly.

“Boring.”

Bora opened the door to her house quickly, while Minji entered with her. The two girls made sure they weren’t being followed when they parked Bora’s car next to the building.

“Thank you...  _ again_,” Minji said as Bora gave her a glass of water.

“No problem,” Bora replied, looking directly at the other girl’s eyes. “Where were you going, by the way?”

“I’m not sure to be honest,” Minji said sincerely, “these bruises are still bad. I think I’m just gonna call Yubin and ask if I can spend the night there.”

Minji took her phone out of her pocket, slowly unlocking it to call her friend. Bora suddenly felt a sharp edge of courage.

“You’re here, and there’s the couch...” Bora hinted, looking from the furniture in a dark brown tone to the girl’s eyes, almost the same color.

“I thought it was your boyfriend’s night,” she teased, with amused satisfaction.

“Stop wording that like this.” Bora had a serious tone, but she could feel a smile forming on her lips. “I’m gonna message him, you stay here.”

Bora sat on her bed and stared at her phone for a few seconds. She didn’t know what to say to Changkyun,  _ again_. But she knew he was safe and sound at home, while the other girl in her living room was in danger and couldn’t go to hers. She had to measure what was the most responsible thing to do now. 

With that thought, she typed a simple message and sent it to him.

“ _hey babe, im not feeling good today so imma try and sleep now. another night, ok?_ ”

She got up from her bed, making her way to the kitchen. She looked down at the girl sitting on the couch, then asked “So... are you hungry?”

—

Bora had just left Handong in the room where her friend would have classes for the next two hours. She was the only one in her group of friends who would have free time. 

Right when she decided to go to the library, as she usually did, her stomach growled, warning that she should eat something first.

As Bora walked to the nearest cafeteria, she saw, a few steps away, that Minji shared a table with her two friends.

She decided - or convinced herself, she didn’t know exactly the fine line - that it was a good idea to approach and just check on her. It wouldn’t hurt and they were getting along better now.

She was still worried, as much as things seemed calm at times of the day, she knew that at any moment someone could go after the girl again.

Minji had explained a little more to Bora about how the club worked. You could only leave it if you had paid a certain amount of money, and when Minji decided to leave, she didn’t have it to give to them.

Bora had realized then that Minji wouldn’t be free until the money was handed over to them, but Minji’s stubbornness always spoke louder. She kept saying she could handle it by herself.

“ _What was that club about anyway?” Bora asked her._

“ _For me, ironically, about freedom,” Minji had a wry smile. “The moment you realize you can release all the internal pain by making others feel it too, and even better, by replacing it with external pain, everything seems to make sense.”_

_ Bora listened to her words attentively. _

“ _It’s ridiculous, I know," Minji continued, and she seemed to be aware of everything, “but my relationship with my parents was never really good. I believed I had only to options; that or worse.”_

Bora remembered the last sentence - it was a sad thing to say - so she finally came closer to where they were.

“Hey, how are you doing?” Bora asked gently.

The three girls looked at each other, not really understanding what was going on, until Minji left her last gaze to find Bora.

She didn’t say a single word though, and everything heated up inside Bora’s little body. She still didn’t understand why they needed to pretend they were strangers. The night before they even watched a TV show together until Minji fell asleep. It didn’t make sense to be so arrogant now.

But Bora knew her own limits. She cared about that girl, for no reason, without wanting much in return, but she also knew when to step back. 

The same second she turned her back on the table the others were sitting at, she felt thin fingers gripping her wrist.

Minji took Bora to the most reserved corner of the cafeteria, where no one could see them, and leaned Bora against the wall.

Bora thought that the heat inside her from seconds before was at the maximum that she could reach, but her body heated up even more when Minji pressed her lips to her ear, the girl’s breath hot and humid.

“You need to keep your distance from me. It’s dangerous.”

But Bora couldn’t say for sure what she was referring to. Only one thing seemed to be too dangerous at the moment.

The smaller girl then turned her face slowly, to the same side that Minji kept her lips on. “Stop pushing me away,” she said as a whisper.

The brief tension between them was soon cut off when Minji, turning her face as if the lack of contact was hurting her, slowly walked away, her hand still holding Bora’s wrist.

“I’ll be waiting for you later,” Bora said, pushing the blonde girl’s hand away from her. “You still look bad.”

She didn’t look back as she left, missing the opportunity to see a completely static Minji.

—

The day quickly turned into night and Minji was running down the dark street, a black sweatshirt covered her sensitive and icy skin from the strong wind that touched her as her steps got faster.

Her eyes were darker, as were her thoughts. A million things went through her head, and none of them brought comfort, only fear. She carelessly reached the stair steps of the house in front of her, knocking on the door in despair.

When someone finally answered, her next words staggered over her tongue.

“They have her, Changkyun. You need to come with me.”


	2. until finally ascending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She heard a whisper, it was almost like that voice was just inside her mind.
> 
> But no. It was hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! first of all, thank you for letting me know we are all obsessed with jibo hehe. and well, this is the second (and last) part, i really hope you enjoy the conclusion!
> 
> ps: again, slight violence.

The door was wide open; the blood, splattered in the hall. The same images kept wandering through Minji’s head the entire way.

But even more terrifying thoughts formed when she remembered it could be worse. 

She questioned herself that day. Throughout the afternoon she spent at the library, wearing another of Bora’s oversized T-shirts, she wondered whether or not she should show up at the girl’s house that night.

Her decision was made when she thought of Bora’s voice, firm and addictive, telling Minji to stop pushing her away.

However, that didn’t make it any easier. It still haunted her, the thrill that she felt when she arrived there and saw Bora’s door opened, fresh blood on the floor and no sign of the girl.

“I still can’t believe you brought Bora into this shit of yours, Minji.”

Changkyun’s voice broke her unfortunate thoughts.

“I knew it would ruin you, but not to the point of taking others to that same hole,” he said bitterly.

Minji knew he was right, and even worse, she felt it every time the younger girl approached her. She tried to avoid it, but impressively, the persistence, both of the girl and of that terrible coincidence, the way she was always there when Minji needed her, brought them together again and again.

“I don’t think you’re much of a better person than I am.”

The boy who drove the car still managed to mess with her head. As much as Minji tried to simply get over the past, she couldn’t get rid of the pity she felt for herself.

“What do you mean?” he asked, sounding genuinely innocent.

Just before Changkyun and Bora started dating, he and Minji were friends. Friends who didn’t need to tell each other much because eventually they would understand.

She remembered the stories he told her, especially the childhood stories he lived with Bora. She remembered once, when Changkyun unintentionally told her Bora was seeing a girl. It was at that moment that Minji’s hopes with her emerged.

“I liked her, Changkyun,” she said, surprising him. They shared secrets, but Minji was always more reserved, more quiet among them. “And I’m pretty sure you knew that very well,” she concluded.

But he didn’t.

Changkyun always knew there was more than one reason, it wasn’t just about how he told Minji’s parents she was part of the fighting club. But he was always so inattentive, it hadn’t even crossed his mind that his friend liked the same girl that he liked.

But things with Bora were so sudden. One day they were just best friends, the next day they spent the night together and it happened. It hadn’t stopped happening since then. First it was just a friendship with benefits, until they decided to make it official.

But he never imagined that  _ she _ was the other reason Minji had turned away from him for good.

“I never knew that, Minji.” His voice seemed to contain shame. “I’m so sorry-“

“Don’t.” She cut him off before he could say anything that would possibly hurt her more. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. She’s with you.”

His eyes went from Minji to the straight track they followed, trying to maintain reasonable speed to the place the girl imagined they were keeping Bora.

“Why did they take her?” Changkyun asked, as an attempt to abruptly change the subject.

“We... I’ve been staying at her house since she helped me three nights ago.”

“That’s why she didn’t allow me to go there these days,” he concluded.

“Yeah, she was trying to protect me somehow.“

“Understandable...” he said, keeping his eyes fixed on the road ahead of him, “that’s Bora.”

The silence of just a few seconds turned into what felt like hours. They were both clearly uncomfortable with each other’s presence, but finding Bora was more important than the problems they shared.

“Can I ask just one more thing?”

“No, Changkyun.” Minji knew exactly what he wanted to know. “Nothing happened between me and her.”

—

Minji’s eyes went wild the moment she saw Bora’s small fists tied in a thick - and probably cold - chain. But it was her chest that suffocated her when the girl, sitting in that chair a few steps ahead of her, looked up. Flesh blood dripped from her mouth as she could barely keep her eyes open.

The space was completely empty, just a dim light over where Bora was. Her mind reminded her of when the smaller girl mentioned she hated dark and abandoned places, and Minji was sure it was all too terrifying to her.

She felt her hands froze, the little nerves of her fingers moved slowly like a part of a distant nightmare. Seeing Bora like that brought Minji feelings she didn’t even know she was ready to face. And putting her in that situation was even more crucifying.

Minji had already gone through many risky situations, but at that moment, no wise thoughts crossed her mind. She didn’t even think that Bora’s figure in the center of that penthouse could be a trap. She just ran across to the light brown haired girl.

And in what appeared to be her eighth step, Minji felt a foot hitting the middle of her back strongly.

Bora screamed in despair and the next few seconds happened very fast. Minji’s closed fist hit a much taller guy, and that same guy - the one who was following her the night before - tried to return the treatment.

But Minji was fast, she swerved easily.

Her legs were strong, too, and she had absolute control over the intensity of the movements against that rigid abdomen she encountered as she kicked.

Between all those reflexes, she felt every part of her body, still sore, wear out more and more. She hadn’t been part of that for a while now, but she still remembered some things, especially how to defend herself.

Her speed, however, couldn’t get rid two of them at the same time. And it was when she got distracted, looking at Changkyun from the other side punching a third guy dressed in all black, that she was hit hard.

They didn’t use any weapons, though. They were members of the same fighting club she used to belong to. And their first rule was to play fair.

But it didn’t seem very fair now. Her knee was failing after the kick she received. The two guys were approaching, and she lost strength in her leg.

She heard a voice. A loud, but sweet voice. 

“Behind you, Minji!”

A third guy.

Minji deflected in disharmony, almost falling backwards. 

She knew she couldn’t make it. She was already weak, in severe pain, and looking around, watching them all getting in position to attack, made her dizzy.

“You can do this.”

She heard a whisper, it was almost like that voice was just inside her mind.

But no. It was hers.

They exchanged glances for less than two seconds. Minji didn’t have much time, not even to think.

But inexplicably, Bora’s tone of voice and the hopefulness in her eyes made Minji remember everything she learned from the time she trained there.

She was exhausted, for sure, but she erased everything else that held her back. 

With a few more moves, two of the three guys she was fighting against were on the floor, blood and groans covering both of them.

She was beautiful, Bora thought as she watched the blonde girl. The way she was leaping through the air, shining as brightly as a mischievous star. She looked like an avenging goddess, and Bora was just there, hiding in the dark, waiting to be saved by her unexpected warrior.

She saw Minji’s arm wrap around the neck of the third guy who was still standing. He tried to get her off his back, with punches right in the girl’s rib, but she remained there. And in a fraction of seconds, the force from the girl’s arm tightening around his neck made him collapse. 

Bora watched him slowly fall as Minji searched for firm ground, her hand going directly to her own rib.

“Chang!” Bora screamed, pointing with her head.

Minji looked back. She then took another deep breath and with her own body, she pushed the last guy who was on top of the boy, hanging him until he almost passed out.

When the guy was about to get up, Minji kicked him in the face, making his head hit hard against the wall, and his eyes closed slowly.

She helped Changkyun to his feet, and they both walked over to where Bora was. 

The boy was loosening the chain that held Bora as Minji was making sure the four guys couldn’t do anything against them anymore. Minji limped, the abrupt movements seemed even more painful as her blood cooled down.

When Bora was finally free of the chains, she stood up, running towards the other girl.

Bluntly, Bora hugged her.

Bora hugged her tightly and with affection.

Minji groaned with pain, surprised. But she hugged her back, wrapping her arm around Bora’s head. 

And as they were sharing that moment, the blonde girl exchanged glances with Changkyun. His face was impossible to read.

As the hug became more subtle, Bora whispered that her phone was lost somewhere, and she started looking for it.

Changkyun then approached Minji. She was expecting everything but the words that came out from his mouth next.

“Thank you for saving my ass.” 

He had gratitude in his voice.

“I didn’t do that for you,” Minji replied roughly.

“For her?” he countered her answer.

Minji looked again at the small girl who was now walking towards them, waving her phone in the air in an attempt to show them she had found it. 

She then looked at the four guys scattered on the floor, the smell of recent fight and sweat roamed around that dark, isolated space. 

She stared at Bora’s face one more time, the blood on her lips had begun to turn into a dry red, almost brown.

She had chain marks on her wrist too, Minji noticed.

She then looked at Changkyun again, still facing her, waiting for an answer.

“Take her and go home safely.”

It was all the blonde girl said before slipping out of the building, into the night.

—

“Why did she leave like that?” Bora asked.

“I thought that three days was enough to get to know Minji better.”

Bora turned her head to Changkyun, her face was red as shame washed over her.

“I’m sorry I lied to you.”

“No, I didn’t mean that,” he stated, also turning his head to face her, “it’s fine, you were just trying to help her.”

He realized she didn’t have much to say when she just nodded, her eyes full of confusion and apprehension.

“And well, now I can tell you the reason she hated me,” he added instead.

Changkyun told her the long story, while she listened carefully all the way home. Exhaustion was beginning to control her body, but she tried to stay awake, and the subject helped with that.

When they reached the entrance to Bora’s building, she asked one last question, the one that had long been around her thoughts, “Why did you never tell me all this?”

“She already hated me for telling a secret that wasn’t mine,” he confessed, “I couldn’t do that again.”

His eyes were shining under that cold night. Bora could see the marks of the hands that minutes ago were around Changkyun’s neck. For those who didn’t know him, he had this image of cruelty. Black hair, dark eyes. But only those who were part of Changkyun’s life could see the truth. He really only had good intentions in his heart.

“You’re such a good guy,” Bora teased, pinching his cheeks.

“I know I am,” he held her hands gently, smiling slightly, “and that’s why I’m letting you go right now.”

Bora’s smile suddenly turned into a look of surprise. But a sad surprise. She knew he wasn’t just referring to tonight.

“You’re my best friend since we were five, Bora,” he continued, “I know you better than I even know myself.” She was looking at their hands the whole time, scared, as if she knew exactly what his next words would be. Both knew each other too well. “And you like her, I can tell. Not the same way you like me, though,” he said in a statement, “you like her differently.”

He could feel the pain building inside Bora’s heart. Not for the breakup, but because she thought he was hurt. It wasn’t what he wanted though, he liked her enough to set her free to be genuinely happy. Her friendship had always been more important than anything else anyway, he just needed to convince her of that as well.

“And it’s fine,” he smiled brightly, his two hands still held hers, “people always say we look like twins, anyway. Dude, I’m thinking now, this is fucking weird.”

“Stupid,” Bora was finally able to say something, laughing as she punched him in the arm. 

He indeed was too good to be true, Bora thought. And she needed to keep him in her life no matter how.

“I love you, Chang,” she said.

He pulled her in a warm hug. 

“Love you forever, Sua.”

—

Bora stared at her phone, choosing Minji’s name from the contact list. It had been like this for a few minutes now, she was trying to muster up the courage to send the message she had been planning since Changkyun left her home.

_Stop being a coward_ , she said to herself.

She took a deep breath and then started typing.

“ _so, my lips still have this dried blood... remember yours? the eyebrow one that i cleaned up? yeah, i think i need you to do the same for me today._ ”

She waited for an answer, anxiety taking over her body. Bora could feel her heart pounding in her throat every time she looked down with the expectation of seeing Minji’s name there.

Five minutes... Fifteen minutes... Half an hour later. 

Nothing.

She drank a glass of water and threw herself on the bed. 

The moment her head hit the pillow, she heard someone knocking on her door.

If Bora’s heart was beating fast earlier, now it was making its way out of her body.

She slowly lowered both feet to the cold floor and walked into the living room. As her hands touched the door handle, she let out another long breath.

“You lied to me,” the blonde girl said.

“What?” Bora looked confused about Minji’s words.

Minji studied Bora’s face with precision. “There’s no blood on your lips.”

Bora rolled her eyes as the other girl smiled. Her hand was small but held Minji’s arm in a firm grip to bring her in.

She still had marks of wounds over her body, it was noticeable that Minji had just splashed water on her face to get off the excess, maybe at Yubin’s house, but she clearly didn’t have much time to take care of it properly.

Bora picked up the first aid kit she used to help Minji the other night, and they both sat on the couch. She felt the relief in Minji’s eyes as she was finally able to rest her injured leg.

“What is this about? Got used to me sleeping here every night?” Minji joked.

There wasn’t very much material covering Bora’s breasts, and the skin was terribly pale in the delicate curve of her collarbone. She noticed that Minji was getting distracted by that.

“Now I know why you hated me,” Bora said instead.

She smiled at Minji gently, and the latter returned it equally. The blonde girl’s head lowered with a twinge of shyness covering her pink lips.

“To be fair, I never hated you. I just... didn’t want to talk to you,” Minji said shyly, a big smile curved on her mouth as Bora’s hand touched her cheek softly, cleaning a small trace of blood. “I avoided you for so long that I managed to repress my real feelings for you.”

“Your... real feelings?” There was surprise in Bora’s voice, her heart beating faster at each new word.

She stopped her hand where it was, looking directly into Minji’s mysterious eyes.

“Shit, he didn’t tell you everything.”

Minji found it interesting that, even after so many hours she spent at the other girl’s house, the latter still hadn’t questioned why Minji was so distant. The younger girl seemed to be curious, and from what people said, she was always interested in knowing why Minji avoided her every time. But even then, she never asked.

She might be afraid of the answer, it was an option. But Minji was almost certain that it was just Bora respecting her time.  _ That’s Bora_, she remembered Changkyun’s words.

“I liked you, Bora,” Minji started with as much sincerity as the girl deserved to hear, “I  _ like _ you for so long... but then you chose him and I had to learn to deal with it.” She tried to look away, but Bora brought her face back so she couldn’t get rid of eye contact. “Seeing you two together made me think about what I could’ve had, and despite all the pain and bitterness, your relationship motivated me to leave that shit club and try to change my life in some way.”

Bora looked at her with eyes divided between empathy, anguish and  _ pride_. She was proud of Minji. It wasn’t easy to reap good things from a lot of bad feelings.

“I didn’t have the opportunity to choose before, you know.” Bora now held her hand, her skin softly touching Minji’s cold one. “But today I had.”

Minji’s brain was trying to absorb that information. What did Bora mean by that? _ It seems too good to be true_, she thought.  _ I’ve never been this lucky before. _

“I had always felt something for you, too,” Bora continued, her voice as firm as a stone. “Every time I looked at you, something inside my mind induced me to keep my eyes fixed on you, and I couldn’t explain why.”

Bora’s hand now rested on Minji’s palm, and one by one their fingers intertwined.

“So, yeah, we broke up today,” she paused, “and I just want to kiss you so bad right now.”

She said the words, not quite sure if she intended to say them. But she did. And as unexpected as those words was Minji’s response to them.

She pulled Bora’s face close, holding her by the back of her neck. Minji’s lips were hot as they touched Bora’s. And like someone who hadn’t expected such a quick reaction, she was out of breath.

Feeling the soft touch of Minji’s fingers caressing her neck, Bora’s mouth relaxed, curving under the taller girl’s lips. And so did her entire body. She flung her arms around Minji’s neck as the latter held her waist, and they kissed harder.

Minji gently laid Bora against the couch below them, her body fitting perfectly the smaller girl’s.

She felt every part of her body ache, especially her ribs. But none of that seemed important. 

Minji waited for  _ so long. _

In truth, she didn’t. She had no hope left for them anymore. She kept those feelings under lock and key in the deepest hole in her heart. She couldn’t deny though, it was especially hard when she caught the smaller one looking at her with those warm, chocolate eyes.

But here they were now, and not even all the physical pain in the world would hinder her from enjoying every second with the one person she really wanted to be with.

“I thought it’d burn,” Bora whispered.

“What?”

“Your touch,” she said in a low voice, “but your hands are cold.”

Minji stopped the kiss to face her.

“Don’t worry. I like cold.” She pulled the girl back to her.

—

“Weren’t you afraid?” Minji asked, her fingers traced the skin of Bora’s arm.

Bora would be lying if she said it wasn’t insanely scary. Men dressed in black invading your home, beating and kidnapping you. In fact, it was terrifying.

But she knew how much Minji was already blaming herself for what happened to her, and there was no use denying it. In a way, they wanted to affect Minji, and she knew they had succeeded. But Bora wouldn’t add more remorse to her feelings. Minji didn’t deserve that.

“I’m okay now, Minji.”

She looked into those dark brown eyes. Minji’s pupils always dilated when she was in pain, Bora noticed. But even with all the physical effort the other girl had made that day, Bora knew the internal feelings always hurt her more intensely.

“I don’t want to put you at risk,” she said, and Bora knew those words would come at any moment, “and my life right now seems to be the opposite of that.”

Bora thought of a solution as soon as Minji told her about the deal. It didn’t seem right at the time, and Minji wouldn’t accept anyway. But now she needed her to agree.

“I have some savings in the bank,” Bora said firmly, “and I think it’s enough to pay them.”

“Bora, no.”

She felt Minji’s body stiffened next to hers on the bed.

“Minji, listen! You said they won’t give up until you do what is necessary, so follow my logic,” Bora started. “If you don’t pay them, they’ll keep coming back, and I don’t plan to give up on you either. You said you fear for me, right? Just accept it then,  _ please._”

Minji didn’t say anything, she was still looking at a single spot on the ceiling of Bora’s room. But the girl was able to break the ice on Minji’s stubbornness once, when she supposedly hated her, maybe now it should be a little easier.

“I know you don’t want me to do this for you, so do it for me instead,” Bora concluded.

Bora knew she had convinced her at the exact moment Minji turned her face to hers. There was stubbornness in that look, but there was also affection. And respect. And loyalty. And beauty. There was a sea of good things about Minji, and Bora knew it. She knew from the beginning.

“You know that eventually I will pay you back, right?” Minji said, so predictably.

“Whatever,” Bora pulled her close, “now I just want one more kiss.”

Minji then kissed her, from the lips to the neck, where she finally rested her face.

Minji was evidently tired, so she gradually fell asleep in Bora’s arms. 

The blonde haired girl she admired from afar for more than a year was now so close to her that the scent of vanilla and strawberry was almost intoxicating.

She thought about the next day, the day she would finally share with her friends everything she had lived in the past three days. They would yell at her, for sure, but they would also spend hours and hours talking about that story as if Bora was the main character of a crazy movie.

They wouldn’t be wrong, in a way. Bora never imagined she would go through a situation like that, not even in her strangest dreams.

But looking at Minji like this, sleeping so calm and peacefully, she realized a lot could happen in a short period of time. 

And a lot could be felt as well.

She could feel fear, concern, anxiety. But she also could feel hope, happiness, and love.

It takes time for one to fall in love, of course. But she realized that, love itself existed in small things.

Love existed in care, in protection, in trust.

_ My avenging angel_ , she corrected herself about the term she had used earlier. 

At that moment, in a genuine smile, she concluded with herself; she regretted nothing. 

_My life was pretty boring anyway_ ,  she said to herself, as she hugged Minji and closed her eyes.


End file.
